The Game of Pool
by LastCetra
Summary: Aeris is having a tough time in grasping the technique of pool, so Cloud decides to help. Be warned, light hearted fluff. Cloud and Aeris


**The Game of Pool**

_**By LastCetra**_

It was a quiet bar in Kalm on a Wednesday night. Only a few regulars would ever visit the place for a drink and a chat, perhaps watch the weekly chocobo race on television. The pool table in the middle of the floor was usually untouched, but each bar needed a change to their schedule sometime. An agitated scream ripped through the unwritten law of silence in the bar, agitating the regulars, who gave the owner of the yell dirty looks.

"I'm so bad at this!" the young woman in pink snivelled, watching in despair as the white ball bounced across every wall of the pool table (hitting nothing) and rolled into the corner pocket.

"At least you got _something_ in," Cloud said helpfully, shrugging his shoulders. He shrank back as the half-Cetra's head robotically turned to glare at the blond man.

_The look of doom._

"Uh, I mean... um..."

"Just say it," she deadpanned. "I'm useless."

"Well," he said, scratching his head in embarrassment. "Everyone is hopeless starting out and..." A thought came to him.

"...this _is_ your first time playing pool, right?"

"Yes," she growled. Aeris looked ready to crack the pool cue in half. Instead she flopped down on the floor in exasperation. Cloud walked round the table and patted her head.

"See? I was the same when I started." Hearing this, she looked up.

"Really?"

"No," he laughed. All hope was shattered.

"It's alright," he comforted. "You just need to be shown how to play a bit more. I promise you'll get the hang of it." Cloud took Aeris' hand and pulled her to her feet, though she was somewhat reluctant.

"Now," he started, taking the white ball out of the pocket. He placed it on the D. "You have to hit the centre of the ball, that's the most important thing."

"Okay," she replied with a nod. Aeris put the cue on the table with renewed enthusiasm and aimed for the centre of the ball. She hit it, and it flew everywhere.

"No!" Cloud said shaking his head. "You have to _aim_ at something, Ris, not just blindly whack it anywhere you please!" Aeris gave him an exasperated look, the kind of one that told him to take a long walk off a short pier.

"This has got to be the strangest conversation I have ever had," she said distractedly. Cloud gave her a gentle nudge.

"Keep focused. That's also important."

"Next you'll tell me the speed is important too," she replied sarcastically.

"I knew you'd get the hang of it!" Cloud said brightly.

"Oh, I GIVE UP!" she screamed, throwing her pool cue on the table. The red and yellow balls scattered everywhere. She started to storm out, but Cloud caught her wrist. She turned to look at him.

"Hey," he said softly. "I said you'd get the hang of it, and you will." He pulled her closer to him and put his pool cue in her hand. "Try again."

Aeris nodded wordlessly, instantly placated by the feel of Cloud's strong hand encircling her wrist. He closed her other hand on the pool cue and pointed to the table.

"Go for it, Aeris!" he cheered. She laughed.

"You sound like a cheerleader."

"I'll get the pom-poms if you pocket it, okay?"

"I'll hold you to that," she warned slyly. Cloud smiled.

"Okay then. Go for that red down on the bottom corner; it's your best shot." Aeris aimed for the red ball, using the centre of the white ball like she had been told and took the shot. The red ball bounced off the inside corner of the pocket and rolled back up the table. Aeris felt like she was going to cry.

"I was..." she stammered in disbelief. "...so...close!"

"You may have missed the pocket, but you did really well."

"So _close_..." she protested weakly.

"I told you that you'd be better in no time."

"You were just guessing," she countered knowingly.

"The term is _bluffing_," he replied in mock haughtiness.

"Why didn't it go in?" she asked.

"Well, you hit it too fast and you didn't make a bridge with you hand which skewed the aim a little."

"Bridge?" Images of miniature cobblestone arches on her hand made the hairs on her arm stand up. Cloud sighed.

"You really are clueless when it comes to this game," he muttered, covering his eyes with his hand.

"Well _excuse_ _me_ for never playing!"

"You're excused," he replied.

Aeris was speechless.

"Look," Cloud said. "I'll show you. We'll go for this yellow ball by the top right corner." The blond man stood behind her and took the cue with his hands.

"You put your right hand at the bottom here," he said, guiding it to the end of the pool cue. "And your left you put just before the white ball," he continued, stretching her delicate arm across the table to the spherical object. Aeris was only conscious of his body pressing against hers as they leaned across the table together.

"Then you put the cue in between your index finger and thumb –the bridge- and let your right hand slide it back and forth, see?" He pulled the cue back with her.

"This way, when you line it up for a shot, your aim becomes much better because the cue is rigid in your hand."

Aeris blushed. What was she thinking? He was talking about pool. POOL!

Be that as it may, she couldn't help herself. This was physically the closest they'd ever been. Even as he was showing her what to do, all she could think about was how near he was to her, the feeling of his hands over hers, the pleasant shiver that went up her spine from his warm breath on her neck, his cheek so soft against her own... it was too much for her poor senses to take in all at once. She slowly turned her face towards his...

...and Cloud potted the yellow ball.

"No problem! It's easy!"

"Heh...yeah," she replied, suddenly disappointed. Cloud glanced down at her, curious as to her lack of excitement. They were so close their noses were almost touching.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Of course!" she chirped. "Why wouldn't I be? We're just taking a break from our journey having a bit of fun which we don't really get so it's nice to do something different every once in a while-"

Aeris was silenced as Cloud's lips met her own. She was shocked, very, very shocked in fact, but it was a nice type of shock. Her surprise soon gave way to happiness and her world dissolved into his kiss.

"Kids these days," the barman grumbled. "Always have to pick the most public place going." The regulars murmured in agreement.

Cloud parted from her slightly.

"You talk too much, you know that?"

"Do that again," she said with a smile.

He did.

**The End.**

**Yeah, this is flufftastic. Inspiration came when I was in England with Daenis Tooshy playing pool, and she said; "Imagine the brothers playing pool" referring to Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo. Which made me think how romantic it would be if Cloud and Aeris played. And I really do think she'd crash and burn at this game!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review!**

**LastCetra.**


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